Prepare Him Room

God is doing a deep work.

Our house is still for sale and on the surface it seemed like nothing was happening.  But I felt the Lord prompting me to start getting ready for our family to move to Ethiopia. So, I began by going through the cupboards and closets and taking things out that we don't use.  I took photos of them and posted them out on a local classified site.  I began getting responses and we started selling things.

Then I proceeded to look around the house, in all the rooms, at all the pretty things, the decorations, the heirlooms, things on shelves that make up the history of my life with my first family and the life my husband and I have made together over the past 18 years.  I took pictures and began selling them.  It was painful.  Like parting with a old friend, a chunk of my heart, visible proof of a memory, and when they sold there was a sadness that came, knowing that the person who bought them would never know the significance, and the money raised would never be enough.

A few things I just can not part with ... yet.  We will see if they can be packed and taken along with us, otherwise be sent to a family member for them to continue carrying the torch .. my Trinidadian grandmother's 100+ year old violin, my dad's handmade battleship, some items from my New York artist grandma's world travels and other priceless items.  But for the most part things are leaving our house at a rapid pace.  And as I look around I am starting to see empty nails where these comforting items once hung.

Lord, why are you requiring this of me?

But for you?  I would give it all.  Just to be in the center of your will.

At church last week, my friend Julie, the pastor's wife and worship leader, shared  how the words of the song, Joy to the World, seemed to jump off the page to her.

"Let every heart prepare Him room."  

She explained how that when she has company coming to her house, she cleans up the house and gets ready, clears out the clutter to make room for them to come.  And then it hit me .... that is what I have been doing.  I have been getting rid of things I hold dear.  Cleaning out the clutter. Things that comfort me and make me feel safe and at home as I sit in my living room by the woodstove.  God is allowing all the STUFF to be removed and now there is this gaping whole where they once were.  He wants to fill that place.  He wants to be EVERYTHING.

So the selling continues and it is starting to feel like freedom.  But it is bittersweet.

I was at church this Sunday and Julie came up to me and asked if I would be willing to sing a special song at our Christmas Eve service.  I asked her what it was called?  She said it was in my range (I have a low voice) and I should listen to it and let her know.  I asked her again, what was the name of it?

"Prepare Him Room."

I bent over and collapsed on the chair in front of me.

"Yes, I will do it," I mumbled, bent over. "It's God ... it's totally God."

She had no idea what I had been going through, and she had no idea that what she said the week before had any affect on me. As I told her the story, she cried.

God is amazing.  Just when you think you might be invisible, He does something that is so personalized, so unique, just to let you know, "I see you."

I woke up with this song in my mind and heart this morning.

I Am
Holding on to you.
I Am
Holding on to you.
In the middle of the storm
I Am holding on.
I Am.

Thank you Jesus.

Big 55 Wish

The big day is approaching for me ... a little too fast, I might say. It’s the day I turn 55. That’s right ... the Big 55. (gulp) I know, you thought I was still in my 40’s right?  

While most people at this time in their lives are thinking about their retirement, senior discounts, maybe getting a red sports car, or a vacation home ....

I’m thinking about Ethiopia, Africa. Because while most people my age were talking about grandkids, we were adopting 5 new children from Ethiopia, over the past 4 years. And in the process, we also started a non-profit called Rivers of Living Water ~ Helping Orphans and Widows in Need, because we realized the need was so great for the ones who were left behind. We were compelled by Love to do more.

So, as 2013 draws to a close, and my 55th birthday will soon be here, we find ourselves, with a family of 10, and our house up for sale, raising funds so we can follow the Lord and His Great Commission to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all nations ...”

We’ve been invited to Ethiopia as full time missionaries.

We watched this year while our dryer broke down, the rototiller stopped working, the crockpot cracked, the microwave burned out and the car door handle broke off, and we sensed the Lord talking to us about our treasures.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven ... For wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21

We’ve decided to accept the Lord’s invitation and continue storing up our treasure in heaven by serving the poor, giving our lives away, and showing them the love of Jesus.

So ... now here comes my Big 55 Birthday Wish. I’m asking (and praying) that all my friends would give something, anything to make my Big Birthday Wish come true. Cause, really it’s not about me, it’s about Jesus, it’s about loving Him, serving Him, and making Him known on the earth. Will you help us?

Would you be willing to give $1 or maybe the change in your wallet to help send us to Ethiopia as a family to share the love of Jesus?

How about $10 for the 10 people in our family who will be serving the poor along side of us?

How about $55 in honor of my 55th birthday .... or perhaps more? By doing so, you can partner with us as we store up treasure in heaven. After all, who can put a price on loving the poor, the orphan and the widow, sharing the gospel, providing clean water for the thirsty, or hope and salvation for even one person?

If you’d like to read more about what we’re doing, please go to www.rivers-of-living-water.org/family.htm where we go into all the details. If you’d like to write a check, please make it out to Church of God World Missions - Project #102-9325 Schilling Family and mail it to Schilling Family, PO Box 3264, Butte, MT 59702 or go online to www.cogwm.org/projects/charlie-and-bonnie-schilling/ and that way your donation will be tax-deductible, which helps out with treasures here on earth. 

We can’t thank you enough for your support. More than anything we desire your prayers and continued friendship. Please pray for us as, we take this huge step of faith out of the boat and into the arms of Jesus. Thank you.

Blessings, 

Missions Newsletter #1

What's Going on Here?

The Lord has invited our family to join Him in Ethiopia.  As you may know, we currently have a ministry called Rivers of Living Water ~ Helping Orphans and Widows in Need (www.rivers-of-living-water.org), where we are working with orphans and widows in Gojjo, Ethiopia.  Last year, our partner in ministry, Alayu, a church planter, asked us to pray about planting a church.  Our home church in Butte, Montana is Abundant Life Fellowship, which is part of the Church of God.  So we met with Harvest Church of God in Ethiopia and told them what we thought the Lord was saying.  They told us they had been asking for missionaries to come and had been praying about starting an International English speaking church for about 7 years. We asked the Lord how soon before we would be moving and we heard Him say 'one year'.  So we went home and prayed and waited.

Around last November when we were back in Ethiopia, the Lord told us there would be many obstacles in our path, but to go ahead on our end and He would clear them all. So we went home to start getting ready.  At the same time, we brought home our 2 new sons and we felt it was important to bond as a family for the first year, here in America. So now, here we are, 9 months later, November is coming soon and we feel now is the time to start getting ready, so that we can go.

Please keep us in your prayers as we start to change gears, as we shift from 'waiting mode' to 'preparation mode'.  We're going under the covering and being sent by our church, but we still need to raise funds in order to go.  If the Lord puts us on your hearts, you can help us by donating to our missionary fund.  Just click on the link below.  Thank you!!

www.rivers-of-living-water.org/family.htm

We've Gone Public!

This post is long overdue. I began writing it when we first came home from Ethiopia ....

We received a VERY encouraging message today from Naiegzi (Nie-eeg-zee) Hiruy Tsige today. We met with him and his wife, Susanne last Thursday in Addis Ababa. They have recently been married. She is from Austria and they both speak fluent English. He is the son of Hiruy Tsige, the International Overseer of Harvest Church of God, which is the missionary church planted out of Church of God from Cleveland, Tennessee, of which our church in Butte, MT., Abundant Life Fellowship is a part of. Does that make sense? You may have to read that one twice. :)

Anyway we met with them last week while we were in Addis, because we believe through a series of events and "God-incidences" that the Lord has invited us to come to Ethiopia and help plant a new church, starting as a house church then growing from there. This was not our idea at all, but really, we have discovered it is on God’s heart for our family through prophetic words and invitations of believers, friends, partners, and leaders in Ethiopia. I am starting to feel a little like Moses, wanting to tell God ... Who us? You must have made a mistake ... We can’t do this ... We are not "trained" ... etc, etc. But I seem to recall, at least in the movie "The Prince of Egypt" that God got pretty angry at Moses and said basically, "Who are you to question me? Wasn’t it I who made man’s mouth? ... NOW GO!!!"

The meeting went incredibly well. We went humbly, not knowing what the response would be ... sharing what God had done in our lives leading us to Ethiopia, first thru our adoptions, then our ministry and now, hearing him call us, invite us, to join Him there in Ethiopia. They sat smiling and intently listening to every word. Then they shared with us their vision. We sat there with our mouths open, I am sure at least I did, marveling at how God works out every detail, ahead of time. Their vision was the same as ours, to the detail. He showed us that these things are not our ideas but His, implanted into our hearts and minds, so that we can fulfill His purposes.

Naiegzi and his friend Ketsela, the young 30 something man that was recently hired by our in-country partner Alayu as his assistant, have had a vision and been praying to start an International English speaking Church for over 7 years. They want it to be excellent. He said "We must use a different strategy with this one. It must be the best of the best. The best speakers, the best leaders, the best musicians..." (HALLELUJAH). He said he has been telling the people on the worship teams for the last year, to start learning English worship songs. He promised his new wife ... said he did not know how or when, but that God WOULD start an English speaking church in Addis. They want to use the church as a place to plant other churches from. To raise up missionary pastors to send out. (Our vision as well). They want to serve the poor, the orphan and widow. (Our vision also) They are trying to secure a water well digging rig to provide clean water for those without access. (Also our vision) The similarities were astounding ... and exciting .. and overwhelming.

"Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth,

Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star,

Would choose to light the way, For my ever wandering heart.
Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done, but because of who You are ..."

You know, it is one thing to get an idea or to have a heart for something and then go and try to make it a reality. It is quite another thing, to have the Lord himself have an idea and a heart for something, then deposit that vision into your own heart and mind, then invite you to join Him, while He himself works behind the scenes, opening doors, preparing hearts, and making it a reality. This whole thing is just amazing to me. We have entered into a realm that we have never quite walked in before. It involves listening and seeing in the Spirit, believing what He says, trusting Him, patience, faith. LOTS of faith ... faith for that which is unseen. I am just amazed that he chose US!!

During the meeting we came to a point in the conversation where we said, "If you chose us ...."

And to that Naiegzi said, " If YOU chose US!!" Amazing ... so much for the fear of rejection.

His father, the Overseer, was out of town, out of the country actually, in the US at Church of God Headquarters trying to secure this drilling rig. So when he returned, they had another meeting after we went home.

I had sent a message asking if this was a secret, because up until now, we were advised that we should keep this private, secret from the government until it was actually a reality. I wondered ... how can I keep something like this a secret? How will we survive without prayer and support from friends and family while we are preparing to go? Trust me ... this will have to be a God thing, because this means in about one year, my husband will be quitting his job and we will be renting our house out for now and packing up all our belongings that can fit in our 2 suitcases each and moving ourselves and 8 kids to Ethiopia to be missionaries to plant a church. We have no money for this, no savings, no means for this to happen. Just like we didn’t for adopting 5 Ethiopian kids, two separate times. But He provided everything we needed. We will need set up funds ... a vehicle to fit 10 people, preferably a 4 wheel drive van costing about $26,000 - $30,000 with their 225 % tax, money for 6 months rent up front as is customary, money for furniture, beds, bedding, kitchen supplies, a stove, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. We will need monthly support to keep us going, for food and gas and all the essentials. We will need Gods provision. But we have faith and belief that if He wants this to happen HE WILL PROVIDE. Just like he did with both of our adoptions from Ethiopia, where money miraculously fell from heaven. And what about giving God glory for what He is doing?

Then I got this response back ...."First of all, we agree in making the idea of an International English Church public, this is a very good way of getting support of believers, in prayer and also financially. As long as we are sure about it we won't consider it as secret."

Woo-hoo!!!  Here we go!  So ... we've gone public ... well, except for my husband's workplace.  They aren't especially supportive of anything we have done so far, so we will wait until things are firmed up next year and we have real dates and such. 

So friends ... as always, we love you and are so thankful for you.  Keep us in your prayers! 

Jesus said GO . . .

OK. Some BIG NEWS . . . 

Our family has been invited to be part of the leadership team that is planting a  new International English speaking church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! Jesus said GO into all the world ... so we are going. We hope to move to Ethiopia in the next year. But first we must raise our own support. We will be having an ongoing Missionary Fundraiser until we meet our goal. We will be offering Ethiopian Jewelry, Coffee, Scarves and our own Handcrafted All Natural Bath & Body Products from our Wild Prairie Farms website at www.wildprairiefarms.net/store.htm. Please help us by spreading the word so we can raise the funds we need. Thank you! ♥

The Rainy Season in Gojjo

 

A photo of some kids in Gojjo on our way back from church. It is the rainy season in Ethiopia right now. Very chilly in the day and cold at night in Gojjo. Earlier that day this road was a RIVER.  Ended up taking of my shoes and socks to get across to the church.  It was so cold, they thought I was crazy ... but I had dry shoes and socks later.  :)

Stand Back . . .

Caught some kind of bug on the plane .... ugh. Feeling cruddy. BUT ... GOD !!! We got great news today. MIRACULOUSLY ... they not only have the court decree already, they have the birth certificates as well ... These 2 things alone should have take 5-6 weeks. STAND BACK AND WATCH GOD MOVE.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane . . .

OK ... we are packed and ready to begin the journey home beginning tomorrow .... will be checking out of this beautiful guesthouse/hotel in CMC area and spending the afternoon with our friend/partner Alayu and his family. Then off to drop the boys back to the Care Center :( and then to the airport ... for a 17 hour flight back to DC. Then another flight to Chicago then Bozeman Montana. Ugh ... 17 hours! They stop in Rome to refuel, but I believe they don't let you off the plane. OMGosh ... please pray that I am not claustrophobic. Looking forward to sleeping in my own bed!

IT. IS. FINISHED.

WHAT A DAY ... court was supposed to be in the AFTERNOON. Had a bad jetlag sleep of only 5 hours, then went back to sleep at 6am. At 7am the driver appeared and said court is at 8:30am. UGH! Flew out of bed, threw on clothes, drove 1 1/2 hours thru town, traffic, road construction, diesel fumes, dropping off kids, picking up families. Got there late, only to find out they were not opened, as we stood outside in the rain. :) Then walked up 4 flights of stairs in an unlit corridor ... into a room FULL of people, adoptive parents, birth parents relinquishing .. very bittersweet moments ... wanted to cry most of the time. Then after another hour they brought us all in as a group ... asked us simple questions ...then said, "Your adoptions are complete and cannot be revoked FOR ANY REASON."

HALLELUJAH!!

Holding back sobs from deep within. Not sure it was the lack of sleep, or 16 months of waiting, laboring, praying, warfare ... or both. We walked out of there and in the crowd of people I raised my hands to the Lord and said "HALLELUJAH". Then we walked down the flights of stairs, passed several seated handcuffed prisoners heading to jail ... and into the van.

IT IS FINISHED. ♥